Egypt Travel Guide - Egypt History, Language and Culture
From iconic pyramids and medieval bazaars, to natural beauty and a vibrant contemporary culture, Egypt is a land packed with captivating treasures.
The pyramids at Giza - the sole survivors of the seven ancient wonders - the lotus-columned Temples of Luxor and Karnak, sunrise across the Valley of the Kings, and the sound-and-light show at the mighty tombs of Abu Simbel have thrilled visitors to Egypt for centuries.
Egypt's natural assets are equally as potent, with the white desert's wind-polished rock formations, the iron-clad mountains of the Sinai, and the gleaming underwater landscapes of the Red Sea.
A pulsing modern Arab state throbs beneath the surface, and, ultimately, Egypt is best understood not so much under the shadow of its great monuments, splendid though they are, but in the call to prayer at sunset, in the chatter of hooves on tarmac in a rural village, or tea and talk with Egypt's garrulous residents in a random coffeehouse.
The pyramids at Giza - the sole survivors of the seven ancient wonders - the lotus-columned Temples of Luxor and Karnak, sunrise across the Valley of the Kings, and the sound-and-light show at the mighty tombs of Abu Simbel have thrilled visitors to Egypt for centuries.
Egypt's natural assets are equally as potent, with the white desert's wind-polished rock formations, the iron-clad mountains of the Sinai, and the gleaming underwater landscapes of the Red Sea.
A pulsing modern Arab state throbs beneath the surface, and, ultimately, Egypt is best understood not so much under the shadow of its great monuments, splendid though they are, but in the call to prayer at sunset, in the chatter of hooves on tarmac in a rural village, or tea and talk with Egypt's garrulous residents in a random coffeehouse.
History of Egypt
Egypt’s history is one of the richest, oldest and most varied of any country in the world, ever since the creation of the powerful kingdom in around 3180 BC.
The pre-Hellenic period is distinguished by Kingdoms (Old, Middle and New) and divided into dynasties, including the IVth dynasty with the construction of the Great Pyramid, and Tutankhamun’s rule briefly during the XVIIIth dynasty. The Pharaonic period was brought to an end by Alexander the Great, in 332 BC.
From the middle of the fourth century, Egypt became part of the Eastern Empire, and the Fatamids gained control of the country in the late 10th century.
The arrival of Napoleon in AD 1798 brought Egypt once more into violent contact with a European power. By 1805, however, the struggle for independence had been won, with Muhammad Ali being recognised as Sultan.
The Suez Canal was opened in 1869; British occupation lasted from 1882 - 1936. Thereafter, Egypt was formally independent but severely constrained by the British.
The 1952 revolution, led by Colonel Nasser, took the Suez Canal into public ownership which led to the Suez Crisis of 1956, in which a combined Anglo-French-Israeli military operation attempted to depose Nasser. It failed, which greatly enhanced Nasser's standing.
The defeat of Arab forces by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War deprived Egypt of the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip, recovered only after another defeat by the Israelis in the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and the subsequent Egyptian-Israeli peace initiative, which culminated in the 1979 Camp David accord.
The treaty was signed on the Egyptian side by Nasser's successor, Anwar El-Sadat, who was assassinated in 1981. Sadat was succeeded by his deputy, Hosni Mubarak after winning a fifth term of office in 2005. In response to mass protests, Mubarak stepped down in January 2011 and appointed Ahmed Shafik as the new Prime Minister. Shafik resigned in March 2011 and the country is currently under military rule.
The pre-Hellenic period is distinguished by Kingdoms (Old, Middle and New) and divided into dynasties, including the IVth dynasty with the construction of the Great Pyramid, and Tutankhamun’s rule briefly during the XVIIIth dynasty. The Pharaonic period was brought to an end by Alexander the Great, in 332 BC.
From the middle of the fourth century, Egypt became part of the Eastern Empire, and the Fatamids gained control of the country in the late 10th century.
The arrival of Napoleon in AD 1798 brought Egypt once more into violent contact with a European power. By 1805, however, the struggle for independence had been won, with Muhammad Ali being recognised as Sultan.
The Suez Canal was opened in 1869; British occupation lasted from 1882 - 1936. Thereafter, Egypt was formally independent but severely constrained by the British.
The 1952 revolution, led by Colonel Nasser, took the Suez Canal into public ownership which led to the Suez Crisis of 1956, in which a combined Anglo-French-Israeli military operation attempted to depose Nasser. It failed, which greatly enhanced Nasser's standing.
The defeat of Arab forces by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War deprived Egypt of the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip, recovered only after another defeat by the Israelis in the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and the subsequent Egyptian-Israeli peace initiative, which culminated in the 1979 Camp David accord.
The treaty was signed on the Egyptian side by Nasser's successor, Anwar El-Sadat, who was assassinated in 1981. Sadat was succeeded by his deputy, Hosni Mubarak after winning a fifth term of office in 2005. In response to mass protests, Mubarak stepped down in January 2011 and appointed Ahmed Shafik as the new Prime Minister. Shafik resigned in March 2011 and the country is currently under military rule.
Language in Egypt
Arabic is the official language. English and French are widely spoken.
Egypt culture
Religion:
About 90% of the population are Muslim; the majority of the rest is Christian, including followers of the Coptic Christian faith. There is also a small Jewish minority.